India: How GI tagging of Kashmiri saffron uplifts economic interests of farmers on the global front?

Published Nov 10, 2022

Tridge summary

The Jammu and Kashmir government's decision to obtain a Geographical Indications (GI) tag for 'Kashmiri Kesar' saffron is expected to enhance the income of local farmers by preventing adulteration and the sale of counterfeit saffron from other regions. This initiative, the first of its kind globally, aims to ensure fairer prices in the global market and combat the financial challenges faced by farmers due to saffron contamination. Saffron, famous for its unique properties and high demand, is primarily grown in the Kashmir region by farmers in Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama, and Kishtwar. With India becoming the first nation to GI tag saffron and expecting a surge in exports, there is optimism among farmers about improved financial sustainability. This year's saffron production in Kashmir is projected to increase by 15-20% from the previous year, reaching 16 tonnes, despite a high production volume in 2020. The quality of saffron this year is reportedly excellent, with large pharmaceutical and pan masala companies showing interest in purchasing it at higher prices.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

The initiative of GI tagging of 'Kashmiri Kesar' by the Jammu and Kashmir government is doing wonders for the farmers associated in the production of saffron in the state. The certification under the Geographical Indications Registry will not just bring the adulteration to a halt but will also terminate the trade of saffron grown in other parts of the world being marketed as the Kashmiri saffron. Those producing the crop in the region have deeply suffered financially due to the contamination of saffron, and a GI certification could prove to be a prominent measure to deal with the issue. What is a GI Tag? The GI certification is given to the products that comes from a specific line of origin geographically, or in terms of qualities owing to their origin. Farmers producing a crop will are able to attain a much fairer and profitable deal in the global market after GI Tagging of their product. Talking of the saffron, the crop has been used and traded across the world since the ancient ...

Source: Krishi Jagran